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By Kiran B. Chaudhuri, Michael Koch, Jorg Lema Patino

"Stricter pollution regulations together with other factors have stimulated interest in the modernization of the traditional sinter - blast-furnace lead operation. In this context, direct smelting methods have again come into prominence. Consequently, the Kivcet Lead Smelting Process, which belongs to this group, has attracted the attention of the lead producers of the world. The Kivcet Process offers the advantage that lead and zinc can be simultaneously recovered in a single furnace unit. KHD Humboldt Wedag A G, Koln, Federal Republic of Germany, has signed a contract with the Sociedad Complejo Metalurgico de Karachipampa of Bolivia for the delivery of a turn-key Kivcet plant, which is expected to be the first plant of its kind in commercial operation. This paper describes the design and expected operating data of the plant."

Jan 1, 1980

By André Gobell

"La distribution des éléments majeurs dans une séquence de roches volcaniques felsiques, la formation de Waconichi, au sud de Chibougamau, indique que les roches pyroclastiques du secteur ouest de ce segment sont chimiquement anormales si on les compare à la composition moyenne des roches volcaniques de Chibougamau: elles sont caractérisées par une teneur anormalement élevée en f er, en magnésium et en potassium et une teneur anormalement basse en sodium et en calcium; ce chimisme caractérise les encaissants des dépôts de sulfures massifs d 'origine volcanique.Les coulées rhyolitiques massives sous-jacentes au gite de cuivre-zinc avec or et argent de Lemoine ne montrent pas ou très peu d’altération de ce genre. Le schéma de mise en place des dépôts de sulfures massifs d'origine volcanique et la nature des roches en présence permettent de croire que la zone d'altération mise en évidence à l'ouest de la mine Lemoine puisse être reliée à la mise en place de ce gisement d'ou l'im portance de tenir compte des caractères texturaux des roches lors de l'interprétation de données litho géochimiques."

Jan 1, 1980

By D. A. Barr

"Most of the lode and placer gold production in the Canadian Cordillera has been derived from mines and placers in the Intermontane and Omineca belts. Gold has been produced from rocks of Precambrian to Eocene age, but the preferred host environment contains Upper Paleozoic to Upper Jurassic eugeosynclinal or arc-type sedimentary and volcanic rocks adjacent to plutonic complexes which have a wide variety in both size and composition. Auriferous quartz lodes occur in fissures and shear zones which are commonly subsidiary to strong fault zones. In common with most vein-type deposits, structural complexities are an essential part of the mine environment.Gold production from the Canadian Cordillera to the end of 1978 totals 35.0 million ounces, of which 47 per cent has been produced from placer mining, principally in the Klondike and Cariboo districts. The balance has been derived from lode gold (80 per cent) and base metal (20 per cent) mines.Gold reserves in producing mines and deposits committed for production as of January 1, 1978 were 87.4 tons, or 21.6 per cent of total Canadian gold reserves contained in all types of deposits. Although more than 100 lode mines have operated in the Canadian Cordillera since the turn of the last century, over 75 per cent of the lode gold produced by 1978 was recovered from five mining camps, namely the Rossland, Hedley, Bridge River, Premier and Barkerville.The average grade of the principal producers in these camps was about 0.45 ounce of gold per ton. Individual camps yielded from 3 to 8 million tons during their operating lives, which varied from 28 to 43 years. The last of these mines ceased operating in 1971.Most of the total lode gold production has been derived from quartz veins, frequently with associated carbonate and ankerite, occupying fractured and faulted zones in Mesozoic volcanic and sedimentary rocks closely associated with a variety of intrusions. A review of the literature suggests that several deposits may have evolved by remobilization of ore constituents from earlier concordant gold-bearing formations. The principal metallic minerals in the deposits are native gold, electrum, tellurides, pyrite, arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite, galena and chalcopyrite.As the mineralogy suggests, many of the Cordilleran lode gold deposits have yielded important co-products or byproducts, including silver, copper, lead, zinc, cadmium and tungsten. Significant by-product gold production has also been derived from porphyry copper, volcanogenic, replacement and pyrometasomatic deposits, particularly in recent years.No major lode gold discovery has been made in the past 67 years, although little exploration activity for gold has taken place during the last 30 years. Several relatively small lode gold and gold replacement deposits have been discovered in recent years, either serendipitously (Chappelle) or on very low initial budgets (Northair and Carolin). Based on well-established precedents, one or more of these may eventually be developed into a large mine.A detailed study of the Canadian Cordillera gold deposits based on recent genetic models could prove rewarding, not only in up-dating information on their origin and depositional characteristics, but in stimulating the search for undiscovered gold deposits, in the Cordillera and other parts of Canada."

Jan 1, 1980

By J. C. Botham, T. D. Brown

"Coke is the most costly item in steelmaking via blast furnaces . Recent innovations in cokemaking have been directed toward reducing this cost while simultaneously improving coke quality and expanding the range of coals used in the process. It is also important to meet increasingly stringent environmental legislation.Improvements in coke quality have been achieved by novel blend selection procedures, by charge density control using both selective pulverization and partial briquetting, and by the use of modifying additives.The Canadian Carbonization Research Association provides a focus for Canadian cokemakin g research which has demonstrated these technologies in a series of pilot-scale experiments."

Jan 1, 1980

By R. V. Typliski, G. J. Labarre

"Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co., Limited, Flin Flon, Manitoba, has developed a metallurgical wastewater treatment system employing two-stage lime neutralization, sludge recirculation and conventional mechanical thickening.Laboratory investigations, initiated in 1970, led to the construction of a pilot-scale minewater treatment plant, at Schist Lake Mine, in early 1971. This plant, treating 600 cubic metres /day of wastewater containing 30-60 mg/1 zinc. demonstrated metal extraction efficiencies of 99% under normal operating conditions.On the basis of this pilot work, a second pilot-scale treatment system was established in 1975 at the Flin Flon metallurgical plant to treat zinc refinery process waste water. Through numerous improvements, including automatic con¬trol equipment, the system has evolved to a full-scale operation capable of treating 800 cubic metres/day of wastewater containing 4-11 gm/1 zinc. Treated effluent contains 0.2-20 mg/1 zinc. The hydroxide sludge produced returns to the metallurgical process for the recovery of metals while clarified effluent discharges to waste.With the system, Hudson Bay Mining has achieved its original goal: the reduction of environmental contamination, while realizing a return from metal recovery.IntroductionWith the goal of reducing environmental contamination, Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting began laboratory testwork, during the late 1960's, into the methods and technology for neutralizing and removing heavy metals from acid mine drainage. Based on lime treatment, early tests showed much promise and culminated in the construction of a pilot-scale test plant at Schist Lake Mine in early 1971.This pilot system utilized technology developed in laboratory studies, and related to work then underway by state authorities in Pennsylvania coal mines. The basic operation consisted of a lime slurry tank, baffle reactor and a free-settling basin. Through three summers of operation, the Schist plant, capable of treating 600 cubic metres/day of minewater, produced a heavy-metal extraction of 99% under normal conditions. Although successful in proving the treatment chemistry, the plant displayed deficiencies in sludge densification and handling."

Jan 1, 1980

By G. E. Norman, J. F. Jackson, A. L. Mckague

"The treatment of nickel-copper concentrate in the new smelter at Falconbridge Nickel Mines Limited, Falconbridge, Ontario, is described. The concentrate in a slurry form is partially roasted in a fluid-bed roaster and the calcine is smelted in an electric furnace. The roaster gases are treated in an acid plant. IntroductionSmelting began at Falconbridge in 1930 with the first blast furnace treating high-grade ore containing 2-3% nickel. In 1933, the Falconbridge concentrator was built and started producing a bulk sulphide concentrate containing 4% nickel. A sinter plant was built to agglomerate and partially roast this concentrate. The sinter was smelted in blast furnaces along with high. grade magnetic ore. Matte from the furnaces was treated in Pierce-Smith converters to produce shipping matte which was refined at the company's plant in Norway."

Jan 1, 1980

By R. G. Achter, E. Wilson

"This paper describes the work undertaken to renovate the Pipe Open Pit drainage system, incorporating measures to improve effluent quality. It describes the technical feat of drilling an l l-inch-diameter hole from the bottom of the open pit for a distance of 1100feet to intersect an underground drift. An innovative method of checking the inclination of this hole is also described. The paper outlines the construction required on the 1500-foot level of the underground mine to facilitate water impoundment and slime settling, as well as the instrumentation for control of water flows. IntroductionThe Manitoba Division of Inco Metals Company operates two mines-an underground mine at Thompson and an open pit at Pipe. The Pipe Open Pit is located 20 miles southwest of the City of Thompson, approximately 400 miles due north of Win nipeg(Fig. 1).Surface diamond drilling of the Pipe ore body was sta rted in 1959. In 1961, a shaft was sunk to a depth o f 1,570 feet to carry out further exploration work and obtain bulk ore samples for metallurgical testing. Site preparation to mine the upper portion of the orebody as an open pit was initiated in 1966 and by late 1967, the removal of silt and clay overburden was in progress. The contractor completed the dredging in the fall of 1969. Over 12 million cubic yards of muskeg, clay and silt was removed, which in some places was 150 feet deep over the orebody. Production began in early 1971, by which time the top three benches of rock had been excavated and the orebody exposed.The Pipe No. 2 Mine main shaft was started in 1970 and completed in 1973 at a depth of 3,160 feet. Development for exploration purposes was carried out on the 1500 and 2460 levels, and permanent pumping facilities were installed.The surface dimensions of the open pit are 2,200 by 1,600 feet, with the long axis striking northeast. The walls are designed with a 45- to 50-degree slope and the ultimate design depth is 720 feet. The present depth of the pit is 520 feet and production capacity is 6,800 tons of ore per mine day."

Jan 1, 1980

By John Tribe

"This paper gives the organizational history of Luscar Ltd. and its various coal producing operations. Each 0/ the operations is then described individually. They include the Bienfait Mine, the Boundary Dam Mine, the Diplomat Mine, the Luscar Mine and the Coal Valley Mine. The company's plans/or expansion are also discussed. IntroductionLuscar Ltd. is an Edmonton-based energy company formed in 1967 through an amalgamation of two pioneer coal companies-Mountain Park Collieries and Luscar Coals Ltd. In 1912, Mountain Park Collieries initiated the development of an underground mine in the Coal Branch area of Alberta. This mine necessitated the establishment of a townsite and the provision of rail access. The second operation, Luscar Coals Ltd., was established in 1921 at Luscar, Alberta. This was also an underground operation and required the development of a rail spur and townsite. The product from both mines was used to fuel railway steam locomotives until the 1950's. The market demand for coal decreased as the use of the diesel locomotive increased, so that these operations were finally closed in 1954. Through the amalgamation of the two companies in 1967, however, Luscar Ltd. was formed to become an active participant in the revival of coal operations. Western Canadian Luscar Ltd. is involved in the exploration, development, production and marketing of coal, coal products, oil and gas. Luscar Ltd. is currently participating in five producing mines (Fig. I). The Diplomat Mine, approximately 125 miles southeast of Edmonton, was in production when it was acquired in 1949 by Luscar Coals Ltd. In 1966, the Bienfait Mine and char plant were added. The Luscar Mine, which is a 50/50 joint venture of Luscar Ltd. and the Consolidation Coal Company of Canada, and is operated by Cardinal River Coals Limited, started production in 1969 on the original Luscar Coals Ltd. mine site. The Boundary Dam Mine was opened in 1974. Both the Bienfait and Boundary Dam operations are located in the lignite coal fields of southeastern Saskatchewan. The most recent addition to the group is the Coal Valley Mine, 40 miles southwest of Edson, Alberta. It commenced commercial production in July, 1978 under the operation of Luscar Stereo (1977) Limited."

Jan 1, 1980

By Wm. L. Giachino

"Over the last 10 years, C-1-L has played a significant role in the major advances that have taken place in blasting technology, among them the following: development and introduction of capsensitive slurries; development of bulk slurry systems both for underground and open-pit operations; development of the TOE-DET and ANODET systems of delay blasting;introduction of the NONEL system of initiation;development of the Vertical Crater Retreat (VCR) system of mining.This paper identifies areasin which we foresee further developments in blasting technology over the next 10 years and outlines how and to what extent C-1-L will become involved."

Jan 1, 1980

By Michael Jerome Wallace

"This paper refers to the wet open circuit ball mil ls in operation at Sidbec-Normines'5 pelletizing plant at Port-Cartier, Quebec, which commenced operations in late November· 1977. Prior to detailing our experiences in the grinding area at Port-Cartier, a general description of the total Sidbec-Normines project is outlined.HI STORYSidbec-Normines was incorporated in 1976 to develop the Fire-Lake - Port-Cartier iron ore mining, concentrating and pelletizing project. The primary objective of Sidbec-Normines is to produce 6mi11 ion tons per year of oxide pellets, of which 3 mi 11 ion tons per year are of a low silica grade suitable for direct reduction purposes. The participants in the project are Sidbec, the Quebec Government steel producer, British Steel Corporation (lnt'l) and the Quebec Cartier Mining Company. Equity interest is held in the company by the participants in the proportions of 50.1%, 41.6:7% and 8.23%, respectively."

Jan 1, 1979

By E. C. Sanford

A laboratory-scale batch extraction unit and operating procedure for studying the hot-water separation of bitumen from Athabasca tar sands are described. The extractor evolved from earlier units and has been in use by Syncrude Research for the past 10 years. By using a unit such as this, it is possible to study tar sand feed quality and the effects of chemicals on the hot-water extraction process, while process variables are held constant. Data are presented to demonstrate the importance of surfactants to the process and the interrelated role of inorganic bases and surfactants.

Jan 1, 1979

By Young C. Kim

A proper economic analysis of pit slope design must reflect the trade-off between the benefits and the increased risk of slope failure inherent in steeper slope angles. However, no formal framework for a proper analysis has existed to date. This paper summarizes the material contained in the Design Chapter Supplement (5-3) of the Pit Slope Manual. The supplement describes the results of the research effort in which a formal economic analysis framework was developed and tested through a case study. The case study results have demonstrated the practicality of the developed procedure and the availability of required data under "real-life" conditions.

Jan 1, 1979

By R. Gatzweiler

The Key Lake nickel-uranium deposits are situated within the Wollaston domain of the Churchill structural province. The host rocks of the two orebodies are of Aphebian and Helikian age. The orebodies occur mainly within a 5.2-km-Iong, northeast-trending zone which coincides with the intersection of the sub-Athabasca unconformity and a reverse fault striking east-northeast. The principal controls of mineralization are structural and lithostratigraphic (i.e., post-Athabasca faults, the sub-Athabasca unconformity and graphitic metapelites in the lower Aphebian, close to the Aphebian/Archean unconformity). Grades of up to 35% U3O8 and 20% Ni are recorded over intervals of up to 2 m. Some hypogene zonation exists and the nickel mineralization tends to underlie the high-grade uranium ore. The ore minerals include pitchblende, a-U307, coffinite, gersdorffite, millerite, niccolite, bravoite, zoisite, sericite, chlorite and kaolinite. The kaolinite is a post-ore, supergene alteration product. Chemical studies of the sub-Athabasca paleo weathering profile sho w that regolithization is characterized by depletion in Si02 and K20 and concomitant enrichment in Al203 and perhaps MgO. In the paleoweathering profile the ferromagnes ian minerals are chloritized, the Ksfeldspars sericitized and the plagioclase saussuritized. Preliminary geochronologic data from the ores reveal U/Pb ages of -1228 my, - 960 my and 89 my, and Rb /Sr data indicate basement ages of -1850 my and - 1372 my. Aphebian pelitic protoliths, carrying U and Ni, may have released some metals during post-Hudsonian weathering, and minor concentration in structural and geochemical traps may have taken place prior to the deposition of the Athabasca strata. However, it is felt that the bulk ofthe ore-grade mineralization wasgenerated after the deposition of the Athabasca formation and after faulting, probably during a major regional thermal/ intrusive episode of Grenvillian age. Several episodes of remobilization took place between 1228and 89 my ago.

Jan 1, 1979

By Joseph J. Larry

In hard siliceous sandstone strata overlying coal seams, roof bolting is often the bottleneck in the coal production cycle. In the past, these strata have been drilled by pneumatically operated stopers. Although slow drilling is cumbersome and uncomfortably noisy, the stoper was the most effective drill in these harder strata. However, because of the (U.S.) Coal Mining Safety Act, which limits noise levels for operating drills, FMC Mining Equipment developed the water-through-the-drill-steel method of drilling high-compressive-strength strata. Although water-through-the-drill steel had been developed earlier, the real impact of wet drilling techniques surfaced when the dual-boom roof drilling machines were installed at the Virginia-Pocahontas Division, Keen Mountain, Virginia, in 1974. This paper covers some of the technical details of the water-through- the-drill-steel design and its application.

Jan 1, 1979

By Réjean Lévesque

SIDBEC-NORMINES a été incorporée en 1976. Depuis la fin de 1977, ses activités comprennent outre la concentration au lac Jeannine, près de Gagnon, du minerai de fer extrait du gisement du lac Fire, I'exploitation d'un atelier d 'enrichissement secondaire et une usine de bouletage à Port Cartier. L 'objectif principal de SIDBEC-NORMINES est de produire six millions de tonnes de boulettes d'oxyde de fer par année, dont trois millions auront une faible teneur en silice afin de répondre aux exigences de la réduction directe. Les installations de SIDBEC-NORMINES sont adjacentes aux installations portuaires de la Compagnie Minière Québec Cartier, à l'est de la ville de Port-Cartier. L 'ensemble est conçu pour produire les deux types de boulettes avec deux circuits d'agglomération installes en parallèle. La production de concentré enrichi (68% Fe et plus) est obtenue dans une usine d'enrichissement utilisant le precédé de séparation magnétique hum ide ahaute intensite (separateurs Jones). À l'usine de bouletage proprement dite, on effectue Ie broyage du concentré et sa mise en boulettes sur disques; l'in duration des deux types de boulettes est obtenue sur deux chaînes d'agglomération Dravo dont chacune a une capacité annuelle nominale de trois millions de tonnes.

Jan 1, 1979

By P. E. Weidmark

Allard, M., Hucka, V.J., Das, B., and Borchtch-Komponietz, V.I., "Investigation of seismic vibration due to large blasts in Gaspe Copper Mines"; (in Russ); The Industry of Chemical Raw Materials; Referativnyi sbornik; 5:18-20: 1978. Askew, J., McCarthy, P.L. , and Fitzgerald, D.J ., "Backfill research for pillar extraction at ZC/NBHC"; Mining with Backfill; Proc 12th Cdn Rock Mech Symp; May 23-25, 1978; Sudbury; CIM Spec Vol 19:100-lJO; 1978. Barrett, J.R., Coulthard, M.A., and Dight, P.M., "Determination of fill stability" ; Mining with Backfill; Proc 12th Cdn Rock Symp; May 23-25, 1978; Sudbury; CIM Spec Vol 19:85-91; 1978.

Jan 1, 1979

By H. A. Gorrell

Preliminary studies of the potential for the production of warm water (up to perhaps 150°C) have been carried out in the Plains region of Western Canada. Production might be from depths as great as about 5 km . Natural waters in this temperature range are currently being used for space heating in other parts of the world. The geography and stratigraphy of the Prairie Provinces are reviewed in terms of their apparent potential for warm-water production. Temperature, salinity and other data provided by wells drilled by the oil and gas industry are reviewed and problem areas are outlined.

Jan 1, 1979

By D. Moffat

Rio Algom Limited has mined uranium at Elliot Lake, Ontario for 20 years. The production of this energy-generating element results in the need to dispose of low-level radioactive solid wastes and liquid effluents. Because of the wet-temperate climate at Elliot Lake, the liquid effluents are of particular importance. Radium-226 is the isotope which requires most attention, and the current practice for its control is by addition of barium chloride and retention of the resultant precipitates in large settling ponds. Analyses of typical effluents and waste streams are discussed and typical levels of radium-226, thorium-230, thorium-232, thorium-228, lead-2iO, polonium-2iO, and uranium isotopes are presented.

Jan 1, 1979

By M. L. Jeremic

Altered and unaltered coal from the Star-Key Mine near Edmonton, Alberta has been tested under compression and under tension. The test results showed that altered coal samples have an appreciably lower strength than unaltered coal. Altered coal samples do not give a linear load-displacement curve, peak strengths are poorly defined and yielding is observed over a range of loads, so the material can be regarded as relatively plastic. However, unaltered coal samples produce a linear loading curve with a high tangential modulus and an easily distinguished peak strength at which there is a sudden brittle failure. These findings lead to important differences in the theoretical design of ribs and pillars in underground mines in the two coal types. The substantial differences in the strength properties and behaviour of the two types of coal are governed by a higher intensity of cracks in the weathered coal. Two causes of the additional cracking can be suggested-subaerial weathering and subterranean weathering of the coal.

Jan 1, 1979

By H. Sahay

This paper summarizes the history and ore-grade statistics of mining the Ming orebody, and then details the mining methods. Included are raising, stoping, drilling and blasting techniques. Particular attention is paid to ground support, ventilation and pumping requirements.

Jan 1, 1979